Rein-guard.



No. 683,9l2. Patented oetya, l90l.

- n. 6. arms.

BEIN GUARD.

(Application flled'oct. 2, 1900.)

NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

HORACE G. CRAIG, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

REIN-GUARD.

$11- ECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,912, dated October 8, 1901.

Application filed October 2, 1900. Serial No. 31,754. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HORACE G. CRAIG,a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, have invented a new and useful Rein-Guard, of which I the following is a specification.

My invention relates to rein-guards for use especially in driving single horses; and it consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and arrangement, as hereinafter described and claimed.

I am aware that rein guards have been patented which are located approximately at the crest of the rump for the purpose of preventing the lines from slipping down over the horses sides, where he is apt to threw his tail over one or both with every switch he makes, or they are apt to catch under the points or buckles of the hip-straps, in the former case necessitating a forwardly leaning or stooping posture on the part of the driver to regain controlof the lines bypulling them from under the tail, attended with more or less danger of injury from afall, a kick, or a runaway, and in the latter case necessitating a lateral manipulation of the lines to release them. I am also aware that they are intended to insure a direct pull upon the bit and ease of handling the lines, so as to properly drive the horse. Such devices make it practically impossible for the horses tail to get over a single line; but while minimizing the possibility of getting over both lines they do not entirely obviate this trouble, and when it occurs it is necessary for. the driver to stoop forward and release them in the usual manner and subjects him or her to considerable annoyance and more or less danger, as above stated.

The prime object of my invention is to provide a guard in a single piece of metal which in addition to the advantages enumerated provides a purchase or leverage whereby the driver without leaning forward or arising from his seat is enabled by simply raising the hand holding the lines to easily and quickly dislodge the tail, that portion of the lines between the hand and the guard acting as a lever, which fulcrums on the guard, and therefore gives the driver a sufficiently long leverage to elevate the tail high enough to easily dislodge it even though the animal attempts to hold it down.

A further object is to producoa rein-guard which can be readily applied to flat or round hip-straps and which is of simple, strong, durable, and cheap construction and of ornamental appearance.

In order that the invention may be fully transverse loop 2, and 3 designates the hip-I S strap, which may be of the round variety or flat, as shown.

The rein-guard is constructed of a strip 6 of stiff tempered spring-steel, terminating in substantially semicircular upwardly and inwardly disposed hooks 7, having their free ends so arranged as to leave an opening 8 between them for the easy and quick insertion or removal of the reins into orfrom the guard.

The body or substantially straight portion 6 of the guard extends through loop 2 of the pull-backer back-strap and curves slightly throughout its length, so as to rest upon the hip-strap 3, and loops 4 slidingly embrace said hip-strap and this body 6 of the reinguard 011 each side of the back-strap loop 2 and preferably at points where the body 6 merges into the hooks 7.

The guard preferably possesses sufficient resiliency to accommodate itself to the slight curvature of the horses back when secured to the hip straps by means of loops 4, but is non-flexible in the practical sense of the word. to provide hook-terminals 7, which will break before they will yield materially, though when in operative position it is impossible for the driver to impose with the lines a sufficiently heavy strain to either break or bend said hook-terminals, the object of this non-flexi- In fact, it is practically rigid in order bility being to provide a fulcrum-point whereon the lines may act as a lever and permit the driver while comfortably retaining his seat to easily and quickly dislodge the horses tail from over the lines by simply raising his driving-hand upward about fifteen inches, more or less, or, in other words, high enough to clear the reins from the fleshy part or stump of the tail, because if the latter clears it pulls the bushy part of the tail after it.

It will be understood that it is practically impossible for the horse to get his tail over one line at a time and that the dislodging operation with both lines effects a straight pull on the bit and avoids an unintentional guid-. ing of the horse to the right or left, as will be readily understood. Of course where the driver is seated in the middle of the vehicle and is holding one line in each hand and the horse throws his tail over the lines the tail is dislodged by raising both hands and letting the lines therein fulcrum on the corresponding hook-terminals.

In practice the hook at the right or left hand side may provide the fulcrum accordingly as the driver is seated at the right or left hand side of the vehicle, and, as with the patented devices above referred to, it is obvious that if the lines drop and trail upon the ground they can be easily recovered without dismounting, from the vehicle. It will also be obvious that a rein-guard which makes it difficult for the horse to get his tail over the lines and at. the same time renders the dislodgment of the tail quick and easy without guiding the horse out of his proper course will be particularly useful for ladies or persons who usually drive with loose reins; furthermore, that the guard provides a handy' lodgment for the traces in removing the harnessed horse from the vehicle.

It will be understood, of course, that this guard may be nicketplated, japanned, or enameled, according to the taste of the purchaser and the mountings of the harness on which it is to be employed.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a rein-guard which possesses many features of advantage in common with like devices, but which in addition provides for the easy and quick dis lodgment of the horses tail in the manner explained.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a harness having loops slidingly embracing the hip-strap at opposite sides of the back-strap; of arigid metal rein-guard comprisinga body passing through the back-strap and resting throughout its length on the hip-strap at opposite sides of the back-strap, and upwardly-projecting inwardly-opening hooks at the ends of the body, said loops embracing the body just inside the hooks, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the back-strap 1 of a harness, a transverse loop 2 therein, the hip-strap 3 passing through this loop, and loops 4 slidingly embracing the hip-strap at opposite sides of the back-strap; of a reinguard of thin metal resting at its base on the back-strap and passing through all three of said loops, its extremities beyond the sliding loops being bent to form inwardly-opening and slightly-separated hooks, and the entire guard being tempered to make it practically rigid, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HORACE G. CRAIG.

\Vitnesses:

A. A. COOPER, H. O. RODGERS. 

